Search age:

Search in:

Suns beat Demons by 25 points in AFL trial

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna is no closer to settling on his team to play round one against St Kilda as his young forwards all shone in the club's 25-point AFL trial win on Saturday over Melbourne.

The Suns ravaged the Demons by five goals to one in the third quarter to set up the 12.8 (80) to 8.7 (55) win in temperatures nudging 30 degrees in a midday (AEST) match at Southport's Fankhauer Reserve.

Cairns product Charlie Dixon took two spectacular marks and kicked two goals, while Zac Smith, Sam Day and Daniel Gorringe all had strong games rotating through the ruck position.

This leaves McKenna scratching his head wondering who he will pick in his main rotation for the season opener.

Advertisement

"Dan Gorringe is a big boy who plays very small but today he put himself in the ruck and I thought he did really, really well," he said.

"Charlie got a couple of goals.

"It certainly makes it a tough decision ... but that's good."

Gold Coast welcomed back big guns Ablett, Karmichael Hunt and Jarrod Harbrow for the trial with Ablett at his usual best with two goals, while small forward Aaron Hall had a breakout game with three goals and plenty of chances to score more.

For the Demons, though, the day was about giving the young brigade a run with a shopping list of talent - headed by co-captain Jack Trengove and superboot Mitch Clark - still sidelined with injury.

That list widened with Col Garland cut down with a head knock in the decisive third term when the Suns ran roughshod over the young Demons.

"That made it particularly hard," coach Mark Neeld said.

"But the idea was to use it as a full-on practice match in the lead up to round one.

"In that kind of view, it was good for our boys."

Neeld is hoping Trengrove, Clark and the a host of other injured players will make their return in the VFL next weekend in a bid to be fit for round one of the AFL.

Gold Coast's Jesse Lonergan picked up a wrist injury in the match but is not expected to be in any doubt for round one.

The Suns controlled the mid-field in the opening quarter and enjoyed a wealth of forward running, but were cruelled by basic errors that cost them the chance to mount scoreboard pressure.

Melbourne took a 2.3 (15) to 1.0 (6) lead into the first break, but Gold Coast headed into the main break ahead by two points.

In the third quarter, the Suns piling on five unanswered goals - including two from brilliant Dixon marks - to streak away to a 25-point lead at the final change.